PHILADELPHIA — Even the greatest of champions can't always flip the switch. Incidentally, that switch doesn't completely flip until the postseason begins and, if the Penguins continue to waddle on their current path, there likely will be no Stanley Cup playoffs in Pittsburgh this spring.

And there sure as hell won't be another Stanley Cup.

So, now what?

It's 2018 now and the Penguins' struggles, it can be objectively stated, aren't attributable to a Stanley Cup hangover or early season disinterest. Something more powerful is at work.

Jim Rutherford's magic touch has engineered two consecutive Stanley Cup runs and he's now in the spotlight. A series of moves is almost inevitable. The players themselves are almost crying out for the general manager to offer some help both with their on-ice performance and their off-ice frustration.

Rutherford must first analyze the Penguins' problems before...

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